Probable walled Roman cemetery, part of W cemetery, at Long Meadow, east of River Cam, Great Chesterford (EHER 4934)

In October 1856, Hon. R.C. Neville (Lord Braybrooke) excavated 20 adult inhumations and several infant burials between the west wall of the Roman town and the River Cam. Also excavated were two lengths of short wall, made from large flint stones without mortar, which were interpreted as boundary walls to the cemetery.

October 1856. Antiquarian excavation. An inhumation cemetery between the west wall of the Roman town and the River Cam, excavated by Hon. R.C. Neville (Lord Braybrooke). Possibly it was walled as Neville found two walls, one of which he thought to be contemporary with an associated burial. In total, 20 adult inhumations were found, with some 83 Roman coins, many of Constantine and Valentinian. Infant burials were also found. Finds: three bronze armlets, two bronze pins, a finger ring, springs of an iron lock and iron knife. Pottery was found in the surrounding soil, indicating occupation of the site before it was used as a cemetery. 15 child inhumations were found earlier by Neville alongside a wall in the adjacent Borough Field. <1> - <7> In October 1856, Braybrooke trenched within the field known as Long Meadow — that is, the area between the town walls and the River Cam — as he considered it a likely site for a Roman cemetery. The first trench revealed a grave containing the skeleton of an adult lying with the head to the west, rather more than 2 feet (0.6m) below the ground surface. A small coin of the Constantine family lay close to the skull, but there were no personal belongings of any kind, although numerous fragments of black and red Roman earthenware were scattered in the surrounding soil. This was only the grave containing any deposit close to the body. A further seventeen adult burials were excavated. Eighty-three coins, principally of Constantine and Valentinian, three bronze armlets, two bronze pins, a bronze finger-ring, the springs of an iron lock and an iron knife were ‘taken out among the sepulchres opened’, but had not actually been placed with the bodies. Braybrooke thought that there had been disturbance of the graves by ploughing. A short wall of large flint stones set together without any mortar was excavated. This measured from 10 to 15 feet (3.05–4.57m) long and 15 inches (0.37m) wide. Close to one end of this wall was the grave of a small child and along the sides were the remains of two more of similar age. A second similar wall, 8 feet (2.44m) long by 18 inches (0.45m) wide, was subsequently found. Close to it the skeletons of two adults were discovered; the wall in fact overlapped the skull of one of the bodies. Otherwise the bodies were undisturbed. There were no other traces of foundations or any other debris of buildings. Nearly all of the skeletons were lying full length with their heads to the west. Braybrooke stopped work in the area after three weeks because of the lack of finds, although he believed the cemetery extended further. <8> NRHE data transfer: A possible Roman walled cemetery was found in 1856 during excavations by Neville NW of Great Chesterford between the old Borough walls and the River Cam (TL 501430). A dry flint stone wall 10 - 15 ft long and 15 ins wide was found with a child inhumation close to one end and two others along the side. A second all 8 ft long and 18 ins wide had the skull of an inhumation beneath it. Twenty adult inhumations were found associated with some 83 Roman coins princeipally of Constatine and Valentinian, bronze and iron objects and Roman potsherds. Some years earleir 15 child inhumations were found by Neville alongside a wall in the next field (Borough Field). (It is nor clear whether the walling mentioned formed a boundary to the cemetery. <5> <6> January 1977. Field survey. No surface features of this site are visible, either here or at TL 50184293 as indicated by JRS (a). The area is under plough. A scatter of flint, Roman tile and brick is visible on the surface but one cannot be certain it is from the cemetery. <10> TL 499433. A further burial of a young girl, almost certainly from this cemetery, was found during construction of the M11 motorway in 1977. See EHER 4005. <11>